UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES AND MUSEUM
Western Kentucky University Libraries is the third largest academic library system in Kentucky. It includes a central library, the Helm-Cravens Complex, the Educational Resources Center, located on the third floor of Tate Page Hall, the Kentucky Library and Kentucky Museum, both located in the Kentucky Building, the Glasgow Campus Library, located on the WKU-Glasgow Campus and an Extended Campus Library Service providing a toll free number, fax, and mail service to Extended Campus faculty and students throughout Western's service area.
The central library is open 94 1/2 hours per week during the regular fall and spring terms. For hours at branch libraries and during the summer term and interims, contact the specific library.
The University Libraries collections consist of approximately 600,000 books, 100,000 volumes of bound periodicals, 2.4 million microforms, one-half million federal and state documents, and many other materials. Each year the libraries add approximately 11,000 new books. Current serials subscriptions number 5,000. WKU Libraries has been a Federal Depository since 1934.
The libraries offer an array of electronic information resources through CD-ROM, networked and online databases. The Helm Library Electronic Reference area provides access to 65 CD-ROM databases spanning all disciplines. Many of these popular CD-ROM databases are available on WKUNet. FirstSearch, an online reference system comprised of over 50 databases, is available via the Internet and WKUNet to all faculty and graduate students. The libraries' Online Search Service can access over 300 online databases and provide tailored searches to faculty upon request. Call the libraries' Electronic Information Coordinator at 745-6122 for further information.
Access to the collections is provided at TOPCAT, the libraries' online computer catalog, which is accessible via WKUNet or remote Dial-up. For information call the Reference Center at 745-6125. Faculty members with WKU ID cards may check out books from the circulating collections for up to one semester, subject to recall after 14 days if requested by another patron.
Faculty may place materials on reserve for class use in the Helm-Cravens Complex, at the Educational Resources Center or at the Glasgow Campus Library. For information about reserves contact the circulation desk at the appropriate library.
Library faculty who specialize in specific disciplines work with professors to teach the use of the latest information retrieval sources. These resources may include print, non-print, and electronic. The libraries maintain several classrooms for teaching as well as a demonstration CD-ROM lab. For information about the libraries' instruction programs call 745-6168.
Other special services for faculty include: Interlibrary Loan, Document Delivery, a card-activated copier and faculty copy service located on the fourth floor of the Cravens building. Self-directed tours of the Helm-Cravens Complex can be undertaken using the libraries' printed "Walking Tour," or audio-tour. A video series highlighting various units of the libraries is also available.
The Department of Library Special Collections is located in the Kentucky Building and houses the Kentucky Library with 100,000 published rare, out-of-print and other items related to Kentucky and the Ohio Valley; Manuscripts and Archives has more than 3 1/2 million manuscript pages; the Kentucky Museum collection includes art, decorative arts, textiles, folk arts and crafts and Native American materials. These collections support many research and publication projects each year.
For more information or new services visit our World Wide Web page at http://www.msc.wku.edu/Library.
